WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The 2025 campaign is off to a rousing start for the Illinois College softball team as it posted a pair of victories in the season-opening games on Sunday.
IC opened the day by beating Neumann 2-1 in eight innings and followed that with a 9-0 shutout over Marian in the nightcap.
IC is now 2-0 in the young season. These were the first two wins at IC for head coach
Samantha Mendez.
IC 2 Neumann 1 (8 inn.)
This was a classic pitcher's duel as both starters posted zeros until the bottom of the fifth inning when IC broke through. The Lady Blues' first run of the season came on a steal of home by
Ezzy Mauermann.
That run stood up until the top of the seventh when Neumann tied it with an RBI double. IC won the game in the first extra frame when
Kayla Serpa singled home Mauremann.
Serpa paced the offensive attack with two hits and the game-winning RBI.
Jordan Closs had a solid debut for IC in the circle, scattering four hits over her seven innings of work. She allowed four hits and struck out nine.
Avery Fritz came on in relief for the final 2/3 of an inning to earn the victory.
IC 9 Marian 0
This contest was all IC from the start as the Lady Blues plated three in the first inning.
Elysia Hand and
Kendall Cole both walked with the bases loaded to drive in the first two runs and
Shelby Seiler drove home
Taylor Henry with a sacrifice fly to plate the final run of the inning.
IC came back with two more runs in the third when Hand scored on a passed ball and Seiler singled to drive in Cole.
The Lady Blues put the game away in the ninth with four runs.Â
Seiler walked the bases loaded,
Emma Hardiek grounded out and drove home
Alyssa Teixeira, and then Mauermann doubled to score
Megan Doolittle and Seiler to close the scoring.
Hand led IC with a pair of hits, while Seiler drove in three and Mauermann two.
Cambria Currie worked the first three innings and allowed just two hits.
Avery Fritz finished the final four frames, allowing one hit while striking out seven.Â
Up Next
The Lady Blues are back in action tomorrow in Winter Haven when they face Simmons at 8:00 a.m. (CST) and Aurora 10:30 a.m. (CST).
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